THE CAMPING OUT EXPEDITION
THIS time there was a load for Nancy to pull, since besides the five
scouts who had made the nutting trip three additional fellows were
along.
First of all there was a lanky boy who long ago in a spirit of derision
had been dubbed "Lil Artha" by his Comrades; and although he stood fully
a head taller than any of his intimate chums, he still answered
cheerfully to this silly name. Arthur Stansbury was a good scout, and
well liked, though at critical times he showed a disposition to get what
boys call "rattled," and on more than one occasion this weakness had
resulted in his getting those long legs of his twisted in a knot,
resulting in trouble all around.
Landy Smith was a cousin of George Robbins. Philander was rather fat,
belonged to the Wolf Patrol, and had been known to walk in his sleep, so
that often the others, whenever any mysterious thing happened in camp at
nighttime, accused Landy of doing it while under the influence of this
strange wandering spirit, that made him get up while asleep, to play
tricks, and disturb his mates.
The third boy was Tyrus Collins. His specialty as a scout, if he had
any, was his recognized ability as a cook; and Ty's weakness might be
said to be a fondness for wearing a sweater of a pronounced fiery hue.
Once a garment of this type had gotten Ty into a lot of trouble with a
furious bull, when he was caught in a pasture, and forced to take refuge
in a lone tree. He had only escaped in the end by sacrificing his red
sweater, which the bull stopped to rend while the fleeing boy managed to
gain a friendly fence.
But Ty could not always be expected to remember this danger, and at
present he boasted of another garment of a sanguinary hue, which he wore
when he believed there were no bulls around.
Here, then, were eight lively fellows seated "every-which-way" in that
commodious wagon, and enlivening the time as they journeyed toward camp
with much jabbering, and not a little loud singing of popular songs.
They appeared to be completely happy. Ty was wearing his "grand sweater"
right then, and treated the warnings solemnly uttered by some of his
mates with abject scorn. Nancy certainly did have a pretty heavy load to
transport, and after the first mile or so along the frosty road there
were no further manifestations of gaiety on her part, only dull care,
for she labored heavily.
But then these boys were merciful, and they generally jumped off, to
walk up any steep hills, so as to relieve the beast of burden. Scouts
early learn to think of the woes of dumb animals, and show a disposition
to lighten their work all that is possible. If being a scout did not
teach a boy a single thing more than that it would still have
accomplished much; and posterity would have great cause to be grateful
to General Baden-Powell as the originator of the organization that has
long ere now circled the globe, and made converts in every clime.
The boys were of course all dressed in the familiar khaki uniforms
associated with scouts everywhere; and they carried with them a couple
of tents, as well as other necessary things connected with camping out.
There were no firearms visible, though possibly a gun or two might turn
up later on, when the contents of that heavily laden wagon had been
fully disclosed. Several of the boys were fond of hunting under
favorable conditions; and besides, as there was always some danger to be
encountered from wild beasts or snakes, Elmer thought it advisable to be
prepared for an emergency.
He sat on the front seat with Toby and George; Chatz, Ty and Landy had
managed to pre-empt the second one by virtue of early arrival; while Ted
and Lil Artha, the "long and the short of it," made themselves fairly
comfortable on the soft tents, and claimed to have the best of the
bargain.
The tall scout dangled his long legs over the tail-board, and was
frequently called upon to "quit dragging," whenever the pace of the
animal between the shafts slowed down from any cause.
"How about going all the way in with the rig this time, Elmer; could we
make the riffle, do you think?" Toby was asking, after they had gone
three-fourths of the distance to the Cartaret place, and there was a
brief lull in the general chaffing.
The others listened in order to catch the reply of the scout master, for
of course they were one and all interested in what was being said.
"I don't see any particular reason why we shouldn't," Elmer answered;
"we found it possible to take the wagon all the way to the nut grove
when we wanted to load our sacks; and by watching out smartly I reckon
we'll find a way to push through the woods there."
"I only mention it," continued Toby, as though he thought some
explanation were necessary, "because we've got a raft of stuff along
this time, and if we had to tote the same on our backs to and from the
wagon, it'd mean a lot of hard work, all of which could be saved."
"And I think it a good idea too," chimed in George; "though of course
I'm always willing to shoulder my share of the hard work when it's got
to be done."
There was more or less chuckling and nudging among the other scouts when
this broad statement was made, because George had a reputation a little
bit along the line of a "shirk," when it came to hard labor, though
always ready to do his duty manfully when a meal had to be disposed of.
"Well, we ought to get there in about twenty minutes more, if only Nancy
doesn't drop dead with heart disease," Toby went on to say.
"Not much danger of that, Toby," ventured Ted, from the rear of the
wagon; "I alwayth did thay that Nanthy wath the toughest thing that
ever wore the iron on her hoofth. And I expect to thee her doing duty
yearth after I come back with my diploma from college. And they tell me
thereth only one hoth older than Nancy in the county, which ith owned by
that Connie Mallon's dad, the mathon."
Somehow the very mention of that name which had been associated with
considerable of tumult in the past history of the scouts' organization
seemed to remind Toby and George of the remarkable events connected with
their late nutting expedition. Elmer, therefore, was not in the least
surprised to hear George immediately voice the feeling of detestation he
entertained toward Connie Mallon.
"I hope that gang enjoyed the treat we fetched home for 'em the other
day; and which I believe you and Toby here distributed like a pair of
Thanksgiving Santa Claus," he remarked, with a vein of satire in his
voice that was almost as natural to Doubting George as breathing was;
"but I never did take any stock in the game, though I agreed to assist
out, to please you, Elmer. And to my mind it was a flat failure in the
bargain. We might as well have handed all that lot of good nuts to some
poor family, or turned the same into the pig-pen for the porkers."
"Oh! I don't know," Toby said, with his favorite drawl. "Elmer here
seems to be of the opinion that it's done _some_ good. Anyhow, none of
us has had any trouble with that Mallon crowd since then. They seem to
slide away every time they see us coming down the street, or across the
campus at school."
"Good reason," piped up George, "because they're afraid that if they say
a word we'll start the ball arolling, and everybody in town'll hear how
they ran like Sam Hill, leaving their nuts behind, and thinking a ghost
was chasing after 'em. Huh! don't you give that tough crowd credit for
thinking anything decent, because it ain't in 'em."
"Listen," said Elmer, quietly, "and perhaps you'll find it best to
change your tune, Old Question Mark. I had a little surprise this same
morning when I came out of the house, just as dawn was breaking.
Something dangling there alongside the back door caught my eye, and what
do you think it was?"
"Oh! give it up, Elmer," said George, with a shrug of his shoulders;
while the others leaned forward eagerly, intent on hearing the answer;
"couldn't guess in a year of Sundays, so open up and tell us."
"A brace of the fattest and biggest rabbits I ever saw, and fresh killed
at that," replied the scout master, impressively.
"Oh! you don't mean to say it?" ejaculated Toby; "and, Elmer, as sure as
anything I saw Connie Mallon coming home late last evening with four of
the same hanging over his shoulder, and looking as proud as a turkey
cock. He just grinned as he walked past, and even nodded his head, but I
was too surprised to answer him, or ask where he struck such great luck.
But then everybody knows Connie is the best rabbit hunter around
Hickory Ridge, and has got a boss hound in the bargain. So you think he
left that brace hanging at your back door, do you?"
"I'm as sure of it as if I saw him sneaking in late at night, and
fastening the pair there," said Elmer, positively; "and he divided
evenly with me, you see, if he had just four. Now, George, what do you
say to that? Was it a silly thing in our taking those four bags of nuts,
and leaving them where we did? Don't you think Connie Mallon was set
_thinking_, and that unable to express himself in any other way he
carried out this fine thing to show me he understood the motive back of
what we did?"
George died hard.
"Well, I wouldn't just like to say that much, Elmer," he admitted;
"because I don't believe that tough case could understand a decent
motive; but he evidently wanted to let you know he'd keep still, if you
fellows only wouldn't blab on him and his crowd."
"I don't agree with you, George," the other told him, sharply. "I think
you've got to rub your eyes some yourself, and get the scales off. It's
my opinion that in his own crude way Connie meant to tell me he was
holding out the olive branch. I've got a hunch he's in a humor to be
approached, and met more than half-way; and when we get back after this
camping trip I'm going to have a chin with him the first chance I get to
see him alone."
"Huh! wish you luck then, that's all," grunted George; "but I give you
my opinion for what it's worth, and the chances are ten to one you'll
rub up against a stone wall."
"Well, there'll be no harm done, anyway," continued Elmer, nor did he
insist on carrying the argument any further, for he knew how persistent
George could be, and that although possessed of many sterling qualities,
being broad-minded was not a cardinal virtue of the doubting scout.
A short time later and those who had been up in this region recently
began to call the attention of their companions to certain features of
the landscape, and comment on the same.
"I'd give a heap," said Chatz, "to own a picture of that other rig
coming whooping out of the woods somewhere around here, and turning down
the road in the direction of town. Well, suh, I reckon the fellow who
held the whip was using the same on the backs of those hosses like fun,
and the lot of them shouting to him to make the team go faster, because
they believed the ghost would overtake them."
"It sure must have been a glorious sight," called out the long-legged
Lil Artha, from the rear of the vehicle; "and just like you, Chatz, I'd
give a heap to see a photograph of the same. Do we turn in here, Toby?"
"Yes, and you fellows hang on now, tooth and nail," replied the driver,
"or there's a chance of you getting pitched out, because the old wagon
joggles dreadfully most of the time over roots and stones. Steady, back
there, everybody!"
What Toby said turned out to be the truth. He tried to pick the easiest
trail possible, but in spite of this it proved to be so rough that
presently Elmer called a halt.
"I'm going to walk the balance of the way, fellows," he declared, as he
made a jump and landed on the ground.
"Me too!" echoed Landy Smith, following suit.
In another minute Toby was the only one left aboard, and he too might
have gladly sought the ground only that it was necessary for some one to
do the driving.
Old Nancy appreciated this lightening of her load by striving harder
than ever to draw it; while George and Ted and Chatz continued to call
attention to various features of the landscape.
"There's where we hid our wagon that other time," the last named
declared, pointing to a thick cover of brush, into which the track of
wheels led; "and Toby, you notice, is turning out, because this time we
don't want to head direct for the nut grove, but the dense woods
alongside. We saw a fine spring as we came by, and I reckon, suh, that
our efficient scout master has it all fixed in his mind's eye to pitch
our tents close to that."
"Saves a heap of water lugging, and that counts," admitted Lil Artha.
"That oughtn't to bother you much, Lil Artha," said George; "when you're
built to cover half a mile at every step. All you'd have to do would be
to take one look-in, fill your pail, and then turning around, come right
back again."
"Our camp, then, will be pretty close to the old house, won't it?"
ventured Chatz; and there was an eagerness in his voice that betrayed
how much he had been thinking of his luck at being in the vicinity of a
building said to be haunted, for two full nights.
"That's what it will," Toby called out over his shoulder, for he was
following the pilot of the expedition, Elmer, who strode on all by
himself away in the van; "and you'll have a chance to scrape up an
acquaintance with that old hobgoblin, Chatz. You're welcome to all the
fun; I haven't lost any ghost that I know about, and you don't ketch me
hanging about in there half the night, waiting for something white and
clammy to stalk around. Ugh! I should say not. Oh! what was that?"
Nancy, up to then behaving very well, because quite tired after the long
pull, began to prance at a lively rate; and every one of the four scouts
craned their necks and stared in one particular direction; it was in
that quarter George had just said the haunted house lay; and what had
come to their ears was the strangest sort of a cry they had ever heard,
a mingling of pain and rage it seemed.